There is a sense of relief among the faculty working in the Okanagan College after an arbitrator granted a temporary ruling, saying the post-secondary institution breached his employment contract when he fired him last year.
“This is the first time we’ve had to fight for our job security and we won,” said Caroline Gilchrist, president of Okanagan College Faculty Association.
“It’s historic.”
The college laid off three Arts faculty members and restructured 14 positions amid declining international student enrollment following a federal cap on study permits.
“Since 2024, our total international student population has decreased by 50 percent (from over 2,200 to 1,100 as of January 2026). We anticipate a further decrease in the fall of 2026,” Kevin Parnell, associate director of college relations, said in an email.
The union says that while it understands financial pressures, the college acted outside the collective agreement, which allows layoffs only in cases of program cuts, redundancies or financial crises.
“Our collective agreement has language that provides an avenue for the college to use in a situation like this,” Gilchrist said. “For some reason, the college chose not to use it.”
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According to Parnell, while the college is limited in what it can say while awaiting the full and final decision from the arbitrator, it is taking steps to reinstate the three faculty members at the center of the decision by May 1.
While the union is pleased the college is respecting the decision, it says reinstatement should not be the only option.
He also argues that remedies must be agreed upon by both parties.
“Rehabilitation may not be the best medicine for each of these individuals,” Gilchrist said. “A year later, each of these faculty members, they’re at a different point in their lives and may be claiming a different type of injury.”
The labor dispute is just the latest sign of what appear to be growing tensions between the college’s administration and the faculty association, which held a no-confidence vote in June 2025.
Gilchrist said this resulted in 82.9 percent of the 211 members who voted saying they have lost confidence in the leadership of college president Dr. Neil Fassina.
“It’s a continuation of our faculty really feeling like this administration doesn’t really value what we do,” Gilchrist said.
Parnell said the College continues to consider all aspects of operations as it seeks to respond to declining enrollment, adding, “our focus is on minimizing impacts to students throughout our region.”
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